, 1887-08-26
AN INTERESTING LETTER.
Gen. Grant on tho Terms of the vIoks.
burg Surrender.

burg Surrender.
The following letter, dated New York,
Nov. 30, 1884, was addressed to Gen.
Marcus j. Wright, agent of the war de-
partment for the collection of Confederate
records, by whose permission it is printed
from the original manuscript:
"DEAE GENERAL-Hcrcwith l send you
Gen. Pcmberton's account of the surrcn-
der OF NiCksburg. AS the written matter
is copy, II supposing you have what it
has been copied from, | do not return it,
though | will if you inform me that you
want it.
"A gentleman from Philadelphia sent
me. the same matter l return herewith,
last summer. l probably left the paper
at Long Branch, hut do not Know GER
tainly. All there is of Importance in the
matter Of the surrender of Vicksburg is
contained in the correspondence between
Gen. Pemberton n myself. The fact is,
Gen. Pemberton, being Il northern man
commanding n southern army, was not Mt
the same liberty to surrender an army
that n man of southern birth would be.
In adversely or defeat he became an OBJ
ject of suspicion, and felt it. Bowen was
IA southern man all over, and knew the
garrison Of Nicksburg had to surrender or
be captured, and knew it was best to stop
further etIusion of blood by surrendering.
lie did all he could to bring about that
result.
"Pcmberton is mistaken in several
points. 1t was Bowen that proposed that
he and A. j. Smith should talk over the
matter of the surrender and submit their
views. Neither Pemberton nor / objected;
but we were not willing to commit our
selves to accepting such terms as they
might propose. In a short time those Off
GERS returned. Bowen acted as spokes-
man What hn gail Npaa rhgtaptfa11
this: The Confederate army was to be per-
mitted TO march out with the honors of
war, carrying with them their arms, col
ors and field batteries. The national
troops were then to march in and occupy
the city, and retain the siege guns, small
arms not in the hands of the men, all pub
lie property remaining. OF course l re-
jcctcd the terms at once. l did agree,
however, before we separated to write
Pembcrton what terms l would give.
The correspondence is public and speaks
for itself. | held no council of war. Hos
tllities having ceased, officers and men
soon became acquainted with the rea-
son why, Curiosity led officers of
rank-mOst all the general oficers-to
visit my headquarters with the hope of
getting some news. l talked with them
very freely about the meeting between
Gen. Penberton and myself, our CORE
spondeuce, etc. Blu in no sense was it a
council OF war. / was very glad to give
the garrison Of Nicksburg the terms l did.
There was II cartel in existence at that
lime which requested either party to eX-
change or parole all prisoners either at
Nicksburg or at a point on the James
river within ten days after capture or rs
soon thereafter as practicable. This
would have used all the transportation we
had for n month. Tho men had behaved
so well that | did not want to humiliate
them. l believed that consideration for
their feelings would make them less dan
gerous foes during the continuance of hos
%tilities, and better citizens after the war
was over.
81 am very much obliged to You, gen
eral, for your courtesy in sending me these
papers. Very truly yours,
"U. S. GRANT"